Clause 6 - Search warrants
Copyright, etc. and Trade Marks (Offences and Enforcement) Bill
11:00 am
Mr Chris Bryant (Rhondda, Labour)
I do not want to delay the Committee for long. I struggled to find the right place in the Bill to make this point, so I am gratuitously landing it on the clause, because it concerns enforcement. The issue remains unresolved because it applies only in England, Scotland and Wales. It is impossible for us to legislate for the problem faced by the Spanish, French, German or Belgian Governments of people legally buying decoders in this country and watching material in other countries although they have only bought the copyright to watch that material in the United Kingdom.
Such a problem is significant for many of our broadcasters. It is often unrecognised by platform operators, because they still receive the money, but the broadcasters who sell them the programmes are aware of the problem. People in Belgium, Spain and France who have legally bought set top boxes in the United Kingdom are using them elsewhere in Europe illegally. Sky is aware of the problem because people enter competitions that they can have watched only on a Sky box and give a Spanish address, although they bought the box in the United Kingdom. That issue must be resolved because it will not be covered by the European Union copyright directive. It is difficult for us to resolve it in Committee, but the fact that British goods that are made effectively with British licence payers' money yet are enjoyed by others who have not contributed to their manufacture is a matter about which we shall need to remain vigilant.